doddisalegend

We only need a another winger if you think Hughes is going to play 4-3-3 or some variation. So far pre-season and the end of last season suggests he is not. With 5 at the back and three in midfield we only have room to squeeze two attacking players in to the matchday 11 out of (as it stands) Gabbi, Austin, Redmond, Mo, Long, Sims and Gallagher. All the width will come from the wingbacks which suggests we should be looking for another RB to back up Cedric.

How is he writing off Vestergaard? Currently most people would class Yoshida as our best CB Vestergaard may well turn out to be our best CB but no one is going to call that after 45 mins of a friendly game. As for Hoedt you are having a laugh total calamity of a CB. Together with Jack Stephens the two of them are like the keystone cops at the back.

Maybe all the enquires where batted away because they where taking the ****? We where probably hoping to off load him for close to what we paid for him only stumping for this option when no decent offers came in.

Spurs haven't bought anyone yet but are looking to offload seven players according to this. https://www.football365.com/news/prem-rivals-on-alert-as-tottenham-put-seven-up-for-sale

Mmm did you not watch last season...

Not a big surprise Ralph was saying the same at the beginning of the summer. We have a bloated squad and are hardly in a position to pay several players big wages to not be part of the 25 man squad. The issue is finding someone to take the dead wood off our hands.

Hughes working wonders with Hoedt and Stephens so far..

Can we read anything into that team? Long is there even though he was supposedly off to Rangers, Clasie in there still despite supposedly going back to the Netherlands. Jan is back I wonder if he will displace Hoedt or Stephens at the back in the friendly game?

Shane Long has scored 17 goals for Ireland does that make top notch?

Lets hope the are working hard on defensive drills and basics.

If Salah keeps up his form from last season they'll come close but I still can't see past Pep and city for the title.

Belguim was six years ago Switzerland four years ago generally his international goals have been against minnows. I'm all for giving him ago, if he is available, but anyone expecting a goal machine is probably going to be disappointed.

Last season we conceded 56, the season, before 48, this season before that 41 the season before that 33 our defensive record has been in decline the last couple of seasons and with it so has our league form its not just the CBs, the goal keeper and the DM shield have also gone down in quality. People keep banging on about goals scored but the 7th placed team last season scored less than us what they did do though was not concede many.

yeah that's what I thought San Marino, Moldova, Malta etc etc. Not saying he wouldn't be a decent addition to the squad but his goal scoring record isn't all that really.

Out of interest how many of those where in qualifiers against the likes of San Marino and their ilk?

I'm happy for us to give him ago it might work out I just don't think he'll score that many. Having said that I think clubs like us have been priced our of prolific strikers at PL level I think most clubs outside the top 6 would consider a 10 goal a season man a success these days.

Note exactly prolific though his best tally in the league is 9 in a season and that was playing for Ferguson's Man u about seven years ago.

Are those Puel stats? really? I was just making a prediction. never mentioned Puel or even considered him. Seems like you need to get over him mate...

Which at least means Hughes can see the problem. How he solves it will be the issue. I can't see us signing another CB this summer so its all about how he gets the best out of what we have for me that means no Hoedt or Stephens in the starting 11 I'm not convinced Hughes can turn them competent in the next few weeks.

I'm only going on the story posted above suggesting we are selling Gallagher to bring in Ings if that's the case I'd rather keep Gallagher.

So even the manager thinks the defence is an issue "We need to step up. We have had three games now, we have conceded too many goals than I would like so we still need to do the fundamentals right in terms of getting the defensive work right." It thought he would have just brushed it off as unimportant as it's a pre-season game..

yet Burnley scored less goals than us and finished 7th it's amazing what a good organised defence can achieve

who mentioned Puel?

We will finish 8th 9pts above the relegation zone, 15pts of 7th and narrowly lose a cup final to Man U and Hughes will be declared a genius manager by happy saints fans.

but there is room for Danny ****ing Ings?